Civics Polity · General Awareness

Elections and Electoral Systems

2,969 Questions

Elections and electoral systems encompass voting methods, gerrymandering, and proportional representation. This hub covers party conventions, the Election Commission of India, and electoral processes. It is an important section for UPSC, state PSC, and civics polity preparation.

Gerrymandering and boundariesElectoral College systemProportional representationElection Commission of IndiaVoting systems and ballots

Elections and Electoral Systems Questions

Multiple choice

Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?

  1. K.V.K. Sundaram

  2. Sukumar Sen

  3. S.P. Sen Verma

  4. Dr. Nagendra Singh
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Sukumar Sen, an Indian civil servant, served as the first Chief Election Commissioner of India from 1950 to 1958. He is credited with successfully conducting India's first general elections in 1951-52, which were the world's largest elections at that time. K.V.K. Sundaram served later as the second CEC.

Multiple choice

Which one among the following carriers out demarcation of electoral constituencies in each State and allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha to different States?

  1. Election Commission

  2. Registrar General

  3. Delimitation Commission

  4. States Reorganisation Commission
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Delimitation Commission of India is an independent body tasked with redrawing the boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies based on the latest census data to ensure roughly equal representation.

Multiple choice

For which one of the following in the United Kingdom, additional members are elected on the basis of proportional representation?

  1. Westminister Parliament

  2. Scottish Parliament and Welsh National Assembly

  3. Northern Irish Assembly

  4. Local Council
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Scottish Parliament and the Welsh National Assembly use the Additional Member System (AMS), which is a hybrid form of proportional representation. Westminster uses First-Past-The-Post.

Multiple choice

The 'Niemeyer method' for distribution of seats in the Bundestang is concerned with proportion of vote casts in favour of

  1. individual candidates in parliamentary constituencies

  2. party list presented in general elections

  3. regional political parties in state elections

  4. local political parties in local elections
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Niemeyer method (specifically the Hare-Niemeyer method) was a mathematical system used in the German Bundestag to allocate seats to political parties based on the proportion of the total party list votes received in an election.

Multiple choice

In an election, electioneering has to cease in a constituency _____.

  1. 2 days before the poll

  2. 48 hours before the hour of commencement of polling

  3. 48 hours before the poll in the constituency

  4. 48 hours before the closing hour of polling in the constituency

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Electioneering and campaigning must stop 48 hours before the time fixed for the conclusion of the poll in a constituency. This 'silence period' is intended to give voters a peaceful environment to make their final decision.

Multiple choice

Directions: In the question below, a question is followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the given arguments is/are ‘strong'.

Question: Should there be a cap on maximum number of contestants for parliamentary elections in any constituency? Arguments: I. Yes, this will make the parliamentary elections more meaningful as the voters can make a considered judgment for casting their vote. II. No, in a democracy, any person fulfilling the eligibility criteria can contest parliamentary elections and there should be no such restrictions.

  1. Only argument I is strong.

  2. Only argument II is strong.

  3. Either I or II is strong.

  4. Both I and II are strong.

  5. Neither I nor II is strong.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

I is strong because it will make the election process more meaningful and purposeful. II is strong on account of tenets of democracy.

Multiple choice

What type of voting is held in the Vidhan Sabha to elect members of the Rajya Sabha ?

  1. Secret Voting

  2. Open Voting

  3. List Voting

  4. Cumulative Voting
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

In 2003, the Representation of the People Act was amended to introduce open voting for Rajya Sabha elections to curb cross-voting. Under this system, an MLA must show their marked ballot to their party's authorized agent. This differs from the secret ballot used in general elections or Presidential elections.

Multiple choice

Adult franchise is disadvantageous

  1. if the people cast their votes in favour of those candidates who give them money

  2. if the votes caste their votes to the candidates belonging to their own castes or religion and not to the able candidates

  3. if the people caste their votes thoughtlessly

  4. in all the above cases
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Universal adult franchise can lead to poor governance if voters cast their votes thoughtlessly, sell their votes for money, or vote strictly along caste and religious lines. In all these scenarios, the democratic process is compromised, making all the listed options correct.

Multiple choice

When does Lok Sabha or a Vidhan Sabha election candidate forfeit his security deposit?

  1. When he fails to win the election.

  2. When he fails to secure even 1/4 of total votes polled.

  3. When he fails to secure even 1/5 of total votes polled.

  4. When he fails to secure even 1/6 of total votes polled.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Under Indian election law, a candidate contesting for the Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha must secure more than one-sixth (1/6) of the total valid votes polled to save their security deposit from being forfeited.

Multiple choice

A pre-election survey revealed that 32 per cent of the population surveyed planned to vote for the candidate John and only 18 percent for his opponent James. In the final tally, candidate James received 51 percent of the votes and candidate John received 40 percent. This shows that the poll procedure was seriously flawed.

Which of the following statements most directly contradicts the conclusion drawn above?

  1. Candidate James received valuable public endorsement.

  2. The media was openly supportive of candidate James' position.

  3. All the voters did not vote during the election.

  4. Many voters, who were initially undecided, made up their minds after the pre-election survey.

  5. Several other opinion polls were conducted at the same time as the pre-election survey.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The conclusion is that poll procedure was flawed. (4) clearly points the reason for the difference between the pre-election poll and the final tally as the voters’ later decision rather than a flawed poll procedure.

Multiple choice

For the Minority Representation, which of the following method is adopted?

  1. Proportional representation system

  2. Separate electorate system

  3. Joint electorate with reservation of seats system

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Minority representation can be achieved through various mechanisms, including proportional representation, separate electorates, and reserved seats, depending on the political context.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the smallest constituency in terms of area?

  1. Chandani Chawk (Delhi)

  2. Sadar (Delhi)

  3. Northwest Kolkata

  4. South Mumbai

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Chandni Chowk in Delhi is the smallest constituency by area among the options. It is a densely populated commercial area in Old Delhi with very compact geographical boundaries. Other constituencies like Sadar, Northwest Kolkata, and South Mumbai have larger spatial extents.